Cynicism and Idealism in Antony and Cleopatra

Of either of Shakespeares plays, Antony and Cleopatra is the bingle that some dramatically reveals the battle surrounded by cynicism and idealism. In the play, Shakespeare uses capital of Italy as a symbol for cynicism, which he frequently boots to as politics, and Egypt to refer to the nonions of idealism. This combat in the midst of capital of Italy and Egypt makes up the central conflict of the play and drives the characters towards most of their actions. Characters in Antony and Cleopatra conspicuously associate Rome and Egypt with competing points of view (Hirsch, p.175). This is despite the circumstance that, obviously, Romans are capable of idealism and Egyptians capable of realism. Though Egypt did non gift the same tinge on European floor that Rome had, to brush off that Egypt had a archives of tremendous political power and that its rulers must corroborate been capable of exercising precise pragmatic and cynical decisions is to ignore history. It is this v ery real history that drives the story line in the play. In fact, had Antony and Cleopatra not been rulers of their various(prenominal) realms, and, therefore, symbols of cynicism and idealism, their love affair would not soak up been tragic. Antony would not have been censured for move object to Cleopatras charms, he would not have been expected to marry other woman, and he may have triumphed in the eventual battle to rule Rome. However, by falling in love with Cleopatra, Antonys Roman cynicism falls prey to idealism, and he can lasting be nothing much than a pragmatic politician. Therefore, it is travel by that, Under the pressure of diachronic necessity Voluptas must lose, whether correspond by Cleopatra or Falstaff; nevertheless the defeat is not the well-fixed and obvious matter of a morality play (Kermode, p. 1345). On the contrary, throughout the play, even though the audience knows the outcome, there is a uninterrupted tension between idealism and cynicism, and a constant strain about which one should prevail.\nIt is important to...